Locking inter-pupillary distance and convergence adjustment mechanism

ABSTRACT

Improvement to an adornable binocular device having a telescope pair and an adjustable inter-pupillary distance (IPD) where both telescopes move simultaneously and substantially the same distance when the IPD is adjusted, the improvement including a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional adjustment the IPD and including a first releasably pivoting coupling between each telescope and arm and a second releasably slidable coupling between each telescope and arm.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/269,464, filed Nov. 8, 2005, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to adjustable binocular devices, andmore particularly, to adjustable binocular loupes.

2. Description of Related Art

In some adornable binocular devices a user may need to adjust theinter-pupillary distance (“IPD”) between the telescopes or theconvergence between the telescopes of the binocular device. It isdesirable that such adjustments are simple and stable. The presentinvention provides simple and stable IPD and convergence adjustmentsystems for adornable binocular devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes improving an adornable binocular devicehaving a telescope pair and an adjustable inter-pupillary distance(IPD). In the device both telescopes move simultaneously andsubstantially the same distance when the IPD is adjusted. Theimprovement includes a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentionaladjustment of the IPD. In an embodiment where the device has an IPDadjustment mechanism, the improvement may include a mechanism forreleasably preventing unintentional activation of the IPD adjustmentmechanism.

In an embodiment the IPD adjustment mechanism may be activated by arotational force. In this embodiment, the improvement may include amechanism for releasably preventing unintentional rotation of the IPDadjustment mechanism. In an embodiment, the IPD adjustment mechanism maybe coupled to housing. In this embodiment the improvement may include amechanism for releasably preventing unintentional rotation of the IPDadjustment mechanism by releasably applying a compressive force from theIPD adjustment mechanism to the housing. In an embodiment theimprovement mechanism may include a spring. Further in an embodiment theIPD adjustment mechanism and housing may include matable teeth.

In an embodiment the device may have two moveable arms with one of thetelescope pair attached to each arm. In this embodiment the improvementmay include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentionaldisplacement of the moveable arms. In an embodiment the device may havea housing that holds at least a portion of two moveable arms. In thisembodiment the improvement may include a mechanism for releasablypreventing unintentional displacement of the moveable arms by releasablyapplying compressive force from the least a portion of the two moveablearms to the housing. In an embodiment the mechanism may include a cam.

The present invention also includes improving an adornable binoculardevice having a telescope pair where each telescope is pivotally mountedto an arm to permit convergence adjustment. In this embodiment, theimprovement may include a first releasably pivoting coupling betweeneach telescope and arm. The improvement may also include a secondreleasably slidable coupling between each telescope and arm. In anembodiment, the second coupling may be located one of more forward ormore rearward on the telescope than the first coupling. In an embodimentthe second releasably slidable coupling may include a partial radialslot in the arm. In an embodiment the partial radial slot in the arm maybe dimensioned to permit at least 4 degrees of movement of telescoperelative the first releasably pivoting coupling. In an embodiment, thefirst releasably pivoting coupling may include a mechanical elementextending from the arm into the telescope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, objects, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the detailed description set forth below whentaken in conjunction with the drawings in which like referencecharacters identify correspondingly throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in FIG. 1Ataken along the line AA.

FIG. 1C is a top view of the binocular system shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a view of a binocular system in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout this description, embodiments and variations are describedfor the purpose of illustrating uses and implementations of theinvention. The illustrative description should be understood aspresenting examples of the invention, rather than as limiting the scopeof the invention.

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a binocular system or loupes 10 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is asectional view of the binocular loupes 10 shown in FIG. 1A taken alongthe line AA. FIG. 1C is a top view of the binocular loupes 10 shown inFIG. 1A. The binocular loupes 10 include a telescope or barrel pair 20,a housing 50, a right barrel to housing arm 30, a left barrel to housingarm 40, an IPD adjustment mechanism 60, and a mount 80. The loupes 10may adorned by a user via the mount 80 where the mount 80 is coupled todevice(s) that enable the user to place the loupes 10 in their visionpathway, e.g., the devices may include spectacles or a head band. Themount 80 is coupled the housing 50. In an embodiment the mount 80 may beincorporated in the housing 50.

In an embodiment each barrel 20 has a front 22, a back 24, and a housingarm extension 26, and screw openings 28. The barrel or telescope 20 mayinclude one or more lens located between, near, or at the barrel ortelescope front 22 and back 24. In FIG. 1A, a lens 21 is shown in rightbarrel front 22 and in FIG. 1B a lens 23 is shown in the right barrelrear 23. Lens are not shown in the left barrel in these figures for thesake of clarity. The right barrel to housing arm 30 moveably couples abarrel 20 via its extension 26 to the housing 50. The left barrel tohousing arm 30 moveably couples the other barrel 20 via its extension 26to the housing 50. In an embodiment the right arm 30 includes a railhaving an end 32, a gear rack 38, a partial radial screw slot 34, and apivot screw slot 36. In this embodiment the left arm 40 also includes arail having an end 42, a gear rack 48, a partial radial screw slot 44,and a pivot screw slot 46. In this embodiment 10 the barrel extension 26includes a rear and a front screw hole 28.

As shown in FIG. 1C, the right rail 30 partial radial screw slot 34 isoriented to a barrel front 22 to engage the barrel 20 extension 26 frontscrew hole 28. The right rail 30 pivot screw slot 36 is oriented to abarrel rear 24 to engage the barrel 20 extension 26 rear screw hole 28.Similarly, the left rail 40 partial radial screw slot 44 is oriented toa barrel front 22 to engage the barrel 20 extension 26 front screw hole28. The left rail 40 pivot screw slot 46 is oriented to the barrel rear24 to engage the barrel 20 extension 26 rear screw hole 28. In anotherembodiment the pivot screw slot 36, 46 may be oriented to a barrel front22 or adjacent the slot 34, 44 to engage the barrel 20 extension 26front screw hole 28 and the partial radial screw slot 34, 44 may beoriented to a barrel rear 22 or adjacent the slot 36, 46 to engage thebarrel 20 extension 26 rear screw hole 28. In an embodiment differentmechanical elements may be employed in the slots 34, 36, 44, 46 and theextension 26 holes 28 including a threaded bolt and the screw or boltcould be coupled to a cam based element that is rotated from a free,non-compressive state to an active, compressive state.

The radial section of the slot 34 and 44 of the arms 30, 40 is selectedto permit about 4 to 8 degrees of movement of the barrel front 22relative the barrel rear 24 via the pivot slot 36, 46. This enables auser to adjust or set the convergence angle between the barrel ortelescope pair 20 and then stably lock each barrel 20 via its extension26 to an arm 30, 40 via a first screw passing the arm 30, 40 pivot screwslot 36, 46 into the barrel extension 26 screw hole 28 and a secondscrew passing through the arm 30, 40 partial radial screw slot 34, 44into the barrel extension 26 other screw hole 28.

In an embodiment the binocular loupes 10 IPD adjustment mechanism 60includes an adjustment knob 62 having a plurality of teeth 74, a piniongear 64 coupled to the knob 62, spring 66, washer 68, and springretaining screw 72. The pinion gear 64 simultaneously engages the rightarm 30 gear rack 38 and the left arm 40 gear rack 48. In an embodimentthe right and left gear racks have the same gear spacing. In thisembodiment rotation of the pinion gear 64 via the knob 62 in eitherdirection causes both arms 30, 40 to move approximately equal distancesrelative to the knob, inward to outward to change the distance betweenthe barrels and effective IPD for a user adorning the loupes 10. In thisembodiment both the housing 50 and knob 62 have mating teeth 56, 74respectively. In an embodiment each have 20 teeth spaced 18 degreesapart. In the loupes 10 the spring 66 is biased against the housing 50bottom 54 and washer 68 where the washer is coupled to the knob 62 viathe retaining screw 72.

In stasis the spring 66 causes the knob teeth 74 to stably mate to thehousing teeth 56 to lock the IPD between the barrel or telescope pair20. To change the IPD, a user pulls the knob axially upward relative tothe spring 66 axis to disengage the knob teeth 74 from the housing teeth56, rotates the knob 62 about the axis in a direction to cause the arms30, 40 to move inward or outward approximately equal distancessimultaneously, and then releases the knob 62. The spring 66 bias thenexerts sufficient axial downward force to re-engage the knob teeth 74 tothe housing teeth 56, securing the selected IPD distance and preventingunintentional IPD modification. In an embodiment the spring constant isabout 9 to 11 pounds per inch.

FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a partial binocular system 100 inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2Bis a sectional view of the partial binocular system or loupes 100 shownin FIG. 2A. The binocular system 100 includes an IPD mechanism 160 andhousing 150 according to another embodiment of the present invention.The barrel pair 20 is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPDmechanism 160 includes a locking lever 166 with at least one locking tab168. The housing 150 includes support arms for rotatably holding thelocking lever 166 and at least one housing opening 159 that correspondswith the at least one locking tab 168. In this embodiment the arms orrails 30, 40 each include sleeves 39, 49 where arms 30, 40 may slidewithin each other. Similar to the IPD mechanism 60, the mechanism 160also includes a pinion gear 164 coupled to a knob 162. The IPD mechanism160 may also include teeth and the housing 150 corresponding matingteeth such as shown in FIG. 1A.

When the locking lever 166 of the IPD mechanism 160 is engaged by movingtoward the barrel rear 24, the tabs 168 engage the lower, right arm 30causing the right arm to move upward and compress against the upper,left arm 40 and housing 150. In this embodiment, after lever 166engagement the IPD between the arms 30, 40 is stably fixed. Theadjustment knob 162 would also be substantially immovable. When thelocking level 166 of the IPD mechanism 160 is disengaged by moving ittoward the barrel front 22, the tabs 168 via the housing 150 openings159 release their compression force against the arms 30, 40. A user maythen adjust the IPD via the adjustment knob 162 and lock the IPD bymoving the lock lever 166 toward the rear.

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of another partial binocular system 200 inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 3Bis a sectional view of the partial binocular system or loupes 200 shownin FIG. 3A. The binocular system 200 includes an IPD mechanism 260 andhousing 250 according to another embodiment of the present invention.The barrel pair 20 is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPDmechanism 260 includes a radially activated locking lever 268. Thehousing 250 includes a radial cam 258 that engages the radiallyactivated locking lever 268. The locking lever 268 is coupled to thepinion gear 264 via a retaining screw 272. The IPD mechanism 260 mayalso include teeth and the housing 250 corresponding mating teeth suchas shown in FIG. 1A.

When the locking lever 268 of the IPD mechanism 260 is engaged byrotating the lever about the pinion gear axis, the lever 268 engages thehousing cam 258 causing a downward force on the retaining screw 272 andthereby compressing the adjustment knob 262 against the housing 250 top252. After lever 268 engagement, the adjustment knob 262 issubstantially immovable. When the locking level 268 of the IPD mechanism260 is disengaged by radially moving lever 268 away from the housing cam258, the compression against the adjustment knob 262 is released. A usermay then adjust the IPD via the adjustment knob 262 and lock the IPD byradially moving the lock lever 268 toward the housing cam 258.

FIG. 4A is a view of a partial binocular system 300 in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 4B is a sectionalview of the partial binocular system or loupes 300 shown in FIG. 4A. Thebinocular system 300 includes an IPD mechanism 360 and housing 350according to another embodiment of the present invention. The barrelpair 20 is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPD mechanism360 includes a locking cam lever 368 and rail locking member 376. Thehousing 350 includes support arms 358 for rotatably holding the lockingcam lever 368. In this embodiment the arms or rails 30, 40 each includesleeves 39, 49 where arms 30, 40 may slide within each other. Similar tothe IPD mechanism 60, the mechanism 360 also includes a pinion gear 364coupled to a knob 362. The IPD mechanism 360 may also include teeth andthe housing 350 corresponding mating teeth such as shown in FIG. 1A.

When the locking lever 368 of the IPD mechanism 360 is engaged by movingtoward the right arm 30, the cam lever 368 pushes the rail lockingmember upward against the lower, right arm 30 causing the right arm tomove upward and compress the upper, left arm 40 against the housing 350.In this embodiment, after cam lever 368 engagement the distance betweenthe arms 30, 40 is stably fixed and thus, the IPD. The adjustment knob362 would also be substantially immovable. When the locking cam level368 of the IPD mechanism 360 is disengaged by moving toward the left arm40, the rail locking member 376 is released, releasing its compressionforce against the arms 30, 40 and housing 350. A user may then adjustthe IPD via the adjustment knob 362 and lock the IPD by moving thelocking cam lever 368 toward the right arm 30.

While this invention has been described in terms of a best mode forachieving the objectives of the invention, it will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that variations may be accomplished in view ofthese teachings without deviating from the spirit or scope of thepresent invention. For example in another embodiment a single userrotatable screw may be coupled to the housing top 52 or bottom 54 sothat upon rotation the screw tip may engage the right or left rail 30,40 with sufficient force to prevent accidental movement of the rails 30,40.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. An adornable binocular device including: atelescope pair; a housing including teeth; an inter-pupillary distance(IPD) adjustment mechanism coupled to the housing and configured to moveeach telescope of the telescope pair relative to a center point; and alimitation mechanism configured to releasably limit unintentionalactivation of the IPD adjustment mechanism, the limitation mechanismincluding teeth releasably mateable with the housing teeth, wherein theIPD adjustment mechanism is not adjustable when the limitation mechanismteeth are mated with the housing teeth and the IPD adjustment mechanismis adjustable when the limitation mechanism teeth are not mated with thehousing teeth.
 22. The adornable binocular device of claim 21, whereinthe limitation mechanism includes a compression member configured toapply a compressive force from the limitation mechanism teeth to thehousing teeth.
 23. The adornable binocular device of claim 22, whereinthe compression member includes a spring.
 24. The adornable binoculardevice of claim 21, wherein the IPD adjustment mechanism is rotatableand comprises an axis of rotation perpendicular to a rotation plane andthe teeth of one of the housing and the limitation mechanism includespeaks that form a plane that is substantially parallel to the rotationplane.
 25. The adornable binocular device of claim 24, wherein the IPDadjustment mechanism moves each telescope of the telescope pairsimultaneously and substantially the same distance relative to thecenter point.
 26. The adornable binocular device of claim 21, whereinthe housing teeth and the limitation mechanism teeth form crown gears.27. The adornable binocular device of claim 26, wherein at least one ofthe housing teeth and the limitation mechanism teeth are triangular. 28.An adornable binocular device including: a telescope pair; two moveablearms with one of the telescope pair attached to each arm; a housing, thehousing holding at least a portion of two moveable arms; aninter-pupillary distance (IPD) adjustment mechanism coupled to thehousing and configured to move each telescope of the telescope pairrelative to a center point; and a limitation mechanism configured tolimit the displacement of the moveable arms by releasably applyingcompressive force from the at least a portion of the two moveable armsto the housing.
 29. The adornable binocular device of claim 28, whereinthe IPD adjustment mechanism is activated by a rotational force.
 30. Theadornable binocular device of claim 28, wherein the IPD adjustmentmechanism moves each telescope of the telescope pair simultaneously andsubstantially the same distance relative to the center point.
 31. Theadornable binocular device of claim 28, wherein the limitation mechanismincludes a cam.
 32. An adornable binocular device including: a telescopepair; a housing including teeth; an inter-pupillary distance (IPD)adjustment mechanism coupled to the housing and including teeth mateablewith the housing teeth, the IPD adjustment mechanism configured to moveeach telescope of the telescope pair relative to a center point; and aretention mechanism imparting an overcome-able compressive force betweenthe IPD adjustment mechanism teeth and the housing teeth to limitunintentional activation of the IPD adjustment mechanism.
 33. Theadornable binocular device of claim 32, wherein the retention mechanismincludes a spring.
 34. The adornable binocular device of claim 32,wherein at least one of the housing and the IPD adjustment mechanismteeth form a crown gear.
 35. The adornable binocular device of claim 32,wherein the IPD adjustment mechanism moves each telescope of thetelescope pair simultaneously and substantially the same distancerelative to the center point.
 36. The adornable binocular device ofclaim 32, wherein the IPD adjustment mechanism is rotatably activated.37. The adornable binocular device of claim 32, wherein the IPDadjustment mechanism is rotatable and comprises an axis of rotationperpendicular to a rotation plane and the teeth of one of the housingand the IPD adjustment mechanism includes peaks that form a plane thatis substantially parallel to the rotation plane.
 38. The adornablebinocular device of claim 37, wherein at least one of the housing teethand the IPD adjustment mechanism teeth are triangular.